It isn't often you receive a letter from the dead. When Vianne Rocher receives a letter from beyond the grave, she has no choice but to follow the wind that blows her back to Lansquenet, the village in south-west France where, eight years ago, she opened up a chocolate shop.

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Publisher's Summary

It isn't often you receive a letter from the dead.

When Vianne Rocher receives a letter from beyond the grave, she has no choice but to follow the wind that blows her back to Lansquenet, the village in south-west France where, eight years ago, she opened up a chocolate shop.

But Vianne is completely unprepared for what she finds there. Women veiled in black, the scent of spices and peppermint tea, and there, on the bank of the river Tannes, facing the square little tower of the church of Saint-Jerôme like a piece on a chessboard - slender, bone-white and crowned with a silver crescent moon - a minaret.

Nor is it only the incomers from North Africa that have brought big changes to the community. Father Reynaud, Vianne's erstwhile adversary, is now disgraced and under threat. Could it be that Vianne is the only one who can save him?

As always Joanne Harris delivers yet another spellbinding tale from Lansquenet and so a must for all of those who have followed Vianne Rocher and her family through the trilogy.

What did you like best about this story?

I always adore the way Joanne Harris weaves her spell in the way she write her stories.

Which character – as performed by Rula Lenska and Gareth Armstrong – was your favorite?

Vianne and the children by Rula and Monsieur le Cure by Gareth Armstrong

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When the veil was removed for the first time and the story is behind that veil revealed.

Any additional comments?

I thoroughly enjoyed hearing this book. The story brings a thousand different images through Joanne Harris' superb ability to capture her readers in a web of intrigue. The smells, colours and characters are seen in the eye of the mind so clearly that again I felt transported to France. I only wish I could visit that wonderful fictitious town known as Lansquenet and visit the Chocolaterie. Perhaps another movie on the way, I hope so.

This is Joanne Harris’s best yet. I have read most of her books and enjoy her writing but this one surprised me I could not have predicted the twists in this story. It was a terrific sequel to Chocolat and I hope there will be more to come. Highly recommended.

If you could sum up Peaches for Monsieur le Curé in three words, what would they be?

Intriguing, riveting, familiar

What did you like best about this story?

That Joanne Harris had maintained the same familiar characters but brought it up to date by introducing a whole load of immigrants with very familiar culture and how that culture was received by the small remote French village.

Have you listened to any of Rula Lenska and Gareth Armstrong ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I had not listened to others of their performances but I was very impressed with their rendition of this book. Both gave remarkable performances.

If you could rename Peaches for Monsieur le Curé, what would you call it?

This novel is a really good listen - the descriptions are colourful and evocative, and the mystery at the heart of the novel remains tantalising to the last. Initially Rula Lenska's narration seemed at odds with the youth of Vianne, but the range of her voice in creating the different characters compensated. Her co-narrator as M Le Cure was perfect. Very enjoyable and a great antidote to chilly British weather.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Fidi

4/13/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Good, but weaker than the Lollipop Shoes"

Where does Peaches for Monsieur le Curé rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Below Chocolat and the Lollipop Shoes, but definitily above the Holy Fools and Sleep, Pale Sister

Any additional comments?

The Performance of Gareth Armstrong as Francis Raynaud is awesome.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Mrs

Dunstable, United Kingdom

4/13/13

Overall

"Great third book in the series"

This is the third book by Joanne Harris in the series starting with Chocolat, then The Lollipop Shoes. I had read the first two a while ago before listening to the audiobooks, but this one I only have in audio form.

All three books are very good reads and listens to and are stand alone stories but

I think it helps to listen to them in order, like most series.

Another good story from Joanne Harris and very well read.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Mrs

Bicester, United Kingdom

12/24/12

Overall

"Peaches for Monsieur le Cure by Joanne Harris"

This is a wonderfully entertaining story, set somewhere in deepest France and built around the fascinating Vianne Rocher of Chocolat fame. Read by Rula Lenska and Gareth Armstrong, the many characters are really brought to life and made listening an absolute pleasure, I was sorry when the book came to an end. I felt that I would benefit from being able to sit with Vianne and pour out all my troubles over a steaming cup of her marvellous-sounding hot chocolate! A real treat, thankyou.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Mrs. Julia Lambert

Worcester UIK

12/23/12

Overall

"Chocolat revisited"

I really enjoyed this book and revisiting the little town of Lansquenet where Chocolat had begun, to see how the characters had developed, the new ones that had arrived and a surprise return. I warmed to Mon. le cure this time far more than before as a different side to him is revealed throughout the book. The different readers were excellent and I finished by wanting to make my own peach jam. A lovely listen

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Amazon Customer

9/5/12

Overall

"Great to return to Lansquenet"

I thoroughly enjoyed and got wrapped up in this book and the excellent narration. Having found Lollipop Shoes a slightly uncomfortable listen due to the disturbing subject of identity theft, it was lovely to revisit the village of Lansquenet and themes developed from Chocolat.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Karen

7/18/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"The Maestro of magic realism"

I adore Joanne Harris' writing, she always transports me away to a different place. It's hard to resist listening to it all in a few sittings and to make it last long enough to savour the details. I feel like I've been travelling after listening to that and I do hope there's another in the Chocolat series to come!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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